John Hoff has said on his blog many times, "I do what I want." Hoff has prided himself an promoted himself (and his blog) as being a "Journalist" while rarely complying with the Journalist's Code of Ethics. Hey... He does what he wants and you better not challenge him or you will face his wrath as he becomes an "800-pound gorilla." (Yes, he has said that many times.)
The following two points are two of Eight Simple Rules for Doing Accurate Journalism from the Columbia Journalism Review by Craig Silverman.
A journalist is only as good as her sources — We often encounter a source who spins a great story, only to later discover he or she was lying to us. Or, well, spinning. Since we rely on sources to build our reporting and inform us and the public, the quality and diversity of sources is hugely important. So make the effort to find the best sources possible. This is where the next favorite saying of mine comes in to play.
Verification before dissemination — Our job is to apply the discipline of verification to everything we gather. That means checking what a source tells you before putting it out there. It means holding off on that hot bit of news to make an extra phone call or bit of checking before sending it out. It’s the core of what we do.
The following definition of Yellow Journalism was copied from Wikipedia. Click HERE to read full content.
Yellow journalism, or the yellow press, is a type of journalism that presents little or no legitimate well-researched news and instead uses eye-catching headlines to sell more newspapers.[1] Techniques may include exaggerationsof news events, scandal-mongering, or sensationalism.[1] By extension, the term yellow journalism is used today as a pejorative to decry any journalism that treats news in an unprofessional or unethical fashion.[2]Campbell (2001) defines yellow press newspapers as having daily multi-column front-page headlines covering a variety of topics, such as sports and scandal, using bold layouts (with large illustrations and perhaps color), heavy reliance on unnamed sources, and unabashed self-promotion.Wikipedia went on to include the following about Yellow Journalism.
Frank Luther Mott (1941) defines yellow journalism in terms of five characteristics[3]:
- scare headlines in huge print, often of minor news
- lavish use of pictures, or imaginary drawings
- use of faked interviews, misleading headlines, pseudoscience, and a parade of false learning from so-called experts
- emphasis on full-color Sunday supplements, usually with comic strips
- dramatic sympathy with the "underdog" against the system.
This link is to one of the bashing posts John Hoff has written about me in his quest to make good on his threat to "First Amendment retaliate" against me. Johnny Northside post quoting non existent source
In that post, John posted words that he claims came from an "expert on real estate." A few days ago I got an email from an anonymous person who posted a comment on that thread where they asked John who who that so-called expert actually is? John replied to the comments and would not reveal his "source." He would not even disclose the "expert's) credentials. In other words, John Hoff went on a bashing spree with the intention of ruining my reputation and that is a fact as Hoff promised to do just that in his email to me four years ago (see the link below to read its entirety).
Johnny Northside commonly posts questionable and/or damning opinions while giving the illusion that they are factual by claiming his information was given to him by a person "in the know" or "highly credible source" however, he rarely will reveal his sources. That activity is a great example of how John Hoff operates as a Yellow Journalist.
I do not claim to be a Journalist. I do not claim to be an Activist. I hate to even think that some might consider me a Blogger. With that being said, then why do I continue to maintain a blog about a Blogger (who I consider to be a bully blogger, hate blogger and yellow journalist) who mainly focuses on issues in north Minneapolis?
The answer is simple. The blogger, John Hoff AKA Johnny Northside has attacked me, current and former friends of mine, people I have never heard of (until he attacked them on his blog) and he has directly threatened to ruin me professionally (click HERE to read Hoff's threat to "First Amendment retaliate" agaisnt me) if I didn't back off reporting his past and present wrongs, mis-deeds, contradictions and other less than flattering things he has done in the past (one example is being removed from the Grand Forks City Council in a recall election within months of being elected. Click HERE for that story.)
Like most people, I do not like being threatened. I do not like the thought of being blackmailed. People who have a past they don't want people to know about will usually back down when similar threats are made against them. However, when those threats are made against me, who has no criminal record, nothing to hide from the public and conducted my real estate business as honestly as I could... To be blunt... It pissed me off! Since then, Hoff has attacked me personally and professionally as best he could on his blog. I have since seen Hoff attack many others using his blog and most have backed down for reasons mentioned above.
I made a promise to Hoff back in 2008. I promised to continue my pursuit of notifying the public of the risk and danger he represents as long as his blog is in existence. A promise is a promise and... I am keeping it. This is an extreme example but, it explains things in a different way.
In the 1983 movie, The Dead Zone, while talking to his doctor, a question was asked by the main character who had the ability to see events in the past and future as though he was there as a witness. This is not an exact quote but, very close with the doctor's answer to follow:
"If you could go back in time and you were to meet Hitler and you knew what he was going to do to humanity, what would you do?"
(Doctor's reply) "With the knowledge of what he would do to mankind, I would have no choice but to kill the son of a bitch."
Ok, that is an extreme comparison and I have no desire to kill John Hoff but, the very purpose of this blog is to silence John Hoff. Some people hurt others with guns and as long as their guns are taken away, they can't shoot anyone. John Hoff uses a computer as his weapon to hurt people he doesn't like or pose a threat to his agenda. John Hoff is a Yellow Journalist who has been allowed to abuse other people's rights for far too long. The Misadventures of Johnny Northside will be here until John Hoff's computer weapon is taken away from him.
14 comments:
Although John Hoff claims he prints only the truth, that is - a bunch if shit. John Hoff only cares about getting the scoop, not about the truth.
Case in point. Several months ago Hoff claimed he was given a copy of a letter mailed to Sheriff Richard Stanek of Hennepin County, Minnesota. Hoff claimed he was given the letter by one of his anonymous highly ranked sources.
Using the freedom of information act, and the MGDPA I obtained info from the Sheriff's office that there was no such letter was ever sent.
Maybe Hoff did get the letter from a source that claimed it came from the Sheriff's office, but Hoff never verified the authenticity of the letter, which based on the info I received, is fake.
Apparently, John (the stalker) Hoff was so excited to get his hands on this letter to humiliate one of his victims, that he was quick to publish it, without getting the truth.
Based on a preponderance of the available evidence, and his history, it is clear that John Hoff, blogging as Johnny Northside, uses the anonymous source excuse to publish fictitious information just to pump up his ratings. After all, he can always claim he's not at fault, since it was his super secret anonymous source that got it wrong. But that doesn't fly in journalistic integrity, something which John Hoff lacks.
Which would be a natural behavior for a sociopath like John Hoff who loves any attention he can get.
John!Hoff's character, as an adult, was likely formed as a disadvantaged and ignored infant:
Mommy, look, I duke-eed, Mommy Look, Mommy Mommmmm MEEE!
@ anon 4:58...
Ok THAT was funny! I could totally picture that happening.
I have reason to believe I know the source John is referring to. He's a real person and well-respected within the local mortgage industry. If I were him, I wouldn't mind talking to someone about this stuff, but I wouldn't want my name dragged into the infantile pissing match between you two.
And yes, it's a pissing match John is just as guilty of feeding into as you are. Anyone who knows their way around north Minneapolis knows Jim Watkins is full of shit. So John's posting of that part of your personal history did nothing except contribute to the asinine back-and-forth between you two that nobody really gives a shit about.
At least John's a stakeholder in this community though.
Here's another avenue John Hoff is using to get attention. He is asking people to vote for him as a write-in candidate for some obscure public office.
I'm sure he just hoped to get his name in the paper, or in the news.
John Hoff - media manipulator and attention whore - with no journalistic integrity.
Anonymous said...
"John!Hoff's character, as an adult, was likely formed as a disadvantaged and ignored infant"
That's actually true. John Hoff's father was a abusive drunk and a petty criminal. His mother was also an alcoholic. The result was that both John and his brother Judd grew up to be mentally disturbed, and alcoholics.
They promote the use of marijuana, and both have petty criminal histories. John Hoff has several traffic violations on his record - he thinks it's OK to drive 90 through small Minnesota towns (he only obeys the laws he agrees with).
And their sister isn't much better off either.
So ya, it totally happened.
@ Anon 12:50 PM:
1-Mortgage industry?? Even if you mean Jeff Skrenes, it doesn't matter. A mortgage person is not in investment real estate. Add to that, at no point did John have details of the deal in question. Does the mortgage guy or John know the specifics of the hard money loan? No. Btw, an anonymous person has reason to believe.... Now that is surely credible. (sarcasm)
2- You said, "Anyone who knows their way around north Minneapolis knows Jim Watkins is full of shit"
How many people "know" their way around n. minneapolis exactly? How and when were they asked if they merely knew who I was? The ones who didn't know of me, were they then informed of me?
3- What exactly am I full of shit about? Your statement is very non specific. Or do you just have "reason to believe" I am full of shit?
4- John is a stakeholder in NoMi? Then why does he never sleep at his own house? In fact, the only times he does sleep in NoMi is at Megan's house. The rest of the time he is elsewhere.
How do I know that? Well.... I just have a reason to believe that.
Looks like John Hoff is still printing information from his "confidential sources", without verifying his facts.
My understanding is that the county folks are investigating the leaks, and some of the info Hoff is getting is non-public information and violates the MGDPA. Someone is gonna get caught and pay a hefty price...maybe their job.
Dear Minneapolis Police,
With Thanksgiving coming up, I want to make sure that you and your officers are aware of John Hoff’s presence at the 4th precinct.
I’m certain that you know John Hoff as a north Minneapolis resident and blogger. For the past few years he has helped serve a Thanksgiving meal to the officers of your precinct.
You should be very aware that Mr. Hoff does this to gain access to information, and to befriend officers to use as a source of information to publish in his blog.
John Hoff has published several books. In these books he advises people how to violate the law, advises people how to deal with law enforcement that may interfere, and degrades officers as “pigs”. He advocates the buying and selling of stolen property, and has promoted this behavior in his blog.
Further, in his writings he describes how he is a “media manipulator”, who can deceive people into revealing information, particularly confidential information, so he has an exclusive for his blog writings.
Mr. Hoff is a disturbed individual, who is not a faithful friend of the police.
When the RNC convention was in St. Paul, John Hoff videotaped what he believed was police misconduct and abuse. When he lived in Seattle he wrote about police abuse and misconduct as an investigative reporter. When a Minneapolis police officer tagged his car for a snow emergency violation, he filed an internal affairs complaint against that officer and wrote derogatory information in his blog.
John Hoff has harassed and intimidated a female Hennepin County probation officer so severely that she took a leave of absence to protect her family from his stalking and abuse.
While it is a noble gesture on his part to serve a Thanksgiving meal to the hard working Minneapolis police officers, please make sure that your officers and staff do not acquiesce to John Hoff’s manipulation. Anyone who reads his blog or his comments on the North Talk Facebook page knows John Hoff is not a mentally stable person. Those of us who monitor his behavior are very concerned that sometime in the future, people will be hurt or killed as a direct result of his indiscriminate unethical blogging, and his unrelenting stalking and harassment of select individuals.
I hope you enjoy this holiday season.
Looks like John Hoff is pissing people off on North Talk (Facebook) again. Hoff's penchant for publishing the sordid details of homicide victim's criminal histories and degrading information has struck a nerve with the reasonable residents of north Minneapolis. The consensus is that his behavior is disgusting and unacceptable. Most feel it just paints a terrible picture of what life in north Minneapolis is like.
Hoff does more harm than he does good, and he's totally unwilling to examine his own behaviors and how they effect others in his community.
Some even commented that people are afraid to comment because they are afraid of being victimized by Hoff - Which is totally a true sentiment as John Hoff will retaliate against anyone who dares challenge him.
Looks like John Hoff is pissing people off on North Talk AGAIN!!!
Now people are complaining about his harassment and how to get him kicked out of the group.
The problem is that Jeff (pussy boy) Skrenes is kissing Hoff's ass and is afraid to banish him.
Oh, yes. Sir Hoff & Puff is quite the character. Didn't he learn anything the last time he was elected (and promptly kicked out again.)
From NorthTalk FB group 12/27 talking about Mayor Rybek's replacement...
"Oh, how wrong you are. It's just a question of what games and how they are played. My persona WOULD only win and COULD only win in a certain very specific set of circumstances. For example, an election were there's a high premium on truth telling. Say, for example, it's an open election where the former holder of the office got sacked for perjury.
No good opportunity for me to run and win currently exists. And I'm not going run for anything and everything like a certain garden gnome. (Except that soil and water thing, that fascinates me, and I may run for that)
But one day the stars will align and the people will cry out for a pro-neighborhood revitalization force-of-one who tells the truth and lets the chips fall where they may. Until that day comes, well, like I said. Concentrate on getting my son grown up. That's why I moved here in the first place."
Johnny Suck-Up Northside has a new Playbook angle on North Talk Facebook page. Writing and praising himself over and over in mind numbing, boring and nauseating repetitive sequence. He is now doing a pantomime of feeding the hungry and putting shoes on poor peasant feet to appear caring. Writing page after page of references to his own fake saintly nature and past fake successes. He stuck in his thumb, over and over, and pulled out a plumb, of any sucker who listens to him. He keeps repeating: Oh what a good boy is I, Phony Johnny Northside. What a phony and clever play to ensnare all the middle of the road folks there who try to believe in doing the right thing. A whole new initiative for that loose, tired, and rudderless sailboat known as the SS Johnny Kiss-up Kick-Down Northside.
John Northside Hate-Monger Hoff actually said this, about himself, at North Talk Facebook Page ahead of a string of baldly self promoting tripe-
"This is me being compassionate."
John Hoff
No Johnny Phony Northside, it is nothing but your masquerade for fools.
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